The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for individually controlling motors in a carton folding machine.
Folding of cartons from cardboard blanks requires certain apparatus within a carton folding machine. The apparatus includes several sections, each section performing a different operation for a folding process. Each section is controlled by its own motor, and the motors among the sections must operate at particular speeds in order for the sections to cooperatively work in sequence to perform the folding process. The machine may use a master reference signal to drive all of the motors. In order to adjust each motor for its own particular speed requirements, mechanical gearing may be used to generate the particular speed based upon the master reference signal. Use of mechanical gearing may be difficult to easily adjust for different speed requirements and it provides additional moving mechanical components to the machine, increasing its complexity.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved apparatus for controlling motors in a carton folding machine.
Methods and apparatus consistent with the present invention provide for transmitting individual velocity signals for controlling motors in a carton folding machine, or transmitting signals used to generate the velocity signals based upon a master reference signal.
A first method and apparatus include receiving values of velocity parameters relating to controlling a plurality of motors within a carton folding machine. Motor control signals are automatically generated from the velocity values for individually controlling the plurality of motors, and the motor control signals are automatically transmitted to the plurality of motors in order to control the motors for automatically executing a process of folding a carton through the carton folding machine.
A second method and apparatus include receiving a master reference signal and values of velocity parameters for controlling a plurality of motors within a carton folding machine. Ratios are automatically determined from the master reference signal and the values and motor control signals are automatically generated from the master reference signal, using the ratios, for individually controlling the plurality of motors. The motor control signals are automatically transmitted to the plurality of motors in order to control the motors for automatically executing a process of folding a carton through the carton folding machine.